Gate-latch.



Patented Allg. 9, 1910.

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J. A. REED.

GATE LATCH. PPLIUATION FILED MAB.. 8, 1909. EENEWED JULY 5| 19.10.

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Jl AI GATE Luca. APPLICATION FILED HALS, 1909. BBNEWED JULY 5, 1910.

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

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N I TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. REED, OF MILES CITY, MDNTANA, ASSIGNO 0F ONE-HALF T0 AMY MCGREGOR, OF MILES CITY, MONTANA.

GATE-LATCH.

Specication of Letters Yatent.

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

Application filed March 8, 1909, Serial No. 481,897. Renewed .Tuly 5, 1910. Serial No. 570,397.

T o all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. REED, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Miles City, in the county of Custer and State of Montana, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Gate-Latches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in gate latches, and more particularly to latches of that type embodying a pair of movable latch pieces adapted to cooperate with a striker element independently of each other, so as to hold the .gate with which the latch is associated irrespective of the direction in which the gate is moved to closed position.

The objects of the invention are to provide a latch of the character described which will be particularly simple in construction, inexpensive of production, and efficient in application and use.

The invent-ion consists in the improvements to be fully set forth hereinafter and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

I have fully and clearly illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, to be taken as a part of this specification, and wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a latch constructed in accordance with my invention, shown in locking relation to a striker element. Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation of the latch. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the latch operating spindle. Fig. 4 is a sect-ion taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view with the parts dissembled, of part of the latch actuated mechanism.

Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference, 1 designates a casing which may be of any approved construction, within which the latch operating means hereinafter described is assembled. SecuredV upon the end face of the casing is a metallic plate 2 having formed integral with the lower edge portion thereof a pair of apertured end ears 3 and an intermediate apertured ear 4, said ears being formed by providing the end of said plate with projecting parts which are bent back upon themselves as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The intermediate ear 4 is spaced apart from the end ears 3, and located in each of the spaces so formed is an apertured projection 6 formed upon the upper face of a latch-piece 7, said latch pieces being pivotally held in position by means of aheaded pintle 8 extending through the ears on the end plate and the apertures in the projections 6. The pintle may be held in position against displacement by any suitable means but I prefer to employ a key 9 let through' an aperture 10 in the end of the pintle opposite to that which is headed.

Each of the latch-pieces 7 consists preferably of a solid block of metal provided with an inclined engaging face 11, and a straight face 12, said latch-pieces being so assembled with relation to the end plate 2 that the respective straight faces are disposed adjacent each other and the inclined faces are directed outwardly in opposite directions.

Preferably formed integral with the rear portion of the flat face of each latch-piece is a pin 13, said pins being directed toward each other, each being arranged in engagement with an aperture 14 formed in the lower end of a gravitating, vertically reciprocatory member 15, said elements 15 being arranged to move in suitable guides formed in the lock casing, the upper end of each element 15 being formed with a slot 16, the slot in one element alining with that formed in the other element.

Located within the latch casing is a swinging actuating member comprising a lever having a substantially vertical arm 1S and a horizontal arm 19, said lever being pivot-ally mounted within the casing by a pivot 2O adjacent the lower end of the arm 18. The free end of the arm 19 of the actuating member is reduced as shown at 21 to enter the space between the upper ends of the elements 15, and extending through the slots formed in said last mentioned elements and through an aperture formed in said reduced end of the arm 19 is a pin 22, by means of which the elements 15 and 19 are connected.

Extending through apertures formed in the casing is a knob-spindle 23 formed with a cranked portion 24 which is arranged within the angle formed at the juncture of the arms 18 and 19 of the actuating lever. Movement of the actuating lever 18, and 19 in one direction is limited by an abutment 25 provided in the casing and adapted to be engaged by the end face of the horizontal arm 19.

When in their normal positions, the parts take the several relations shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, in which positions the latches hang with their inclined faces 11 in substantially vertical planes, in which position, the elements 15 rest with the upper ends of the slots formed therein upon the pin 22 carried by the horizontal arm 19, and the abutment 25 heretofore referred to, is in such position that the elements 15 will be supported to hold the latches with their in clined faces in substantially vertical planes.

The latch above described is adapted to be used in connect-ion with a variety of striker elements, but I prefer to use a striker con sisting of a vertical bar 26 seated at its opposite ends in cupped brackets 27 which may be secured in any desired manner to the gate post as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

My invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with gates which may be swung in both directions to open and close the same, and such being the case one or the other of the latch pieces strikes the striker element with its inclined face 11 according to the direction in which the gate is swung, and the latch which engages the striker element will be swung back in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 1, so that the striker element or bar may pass into the space between the latch-pieces, and engage the flat face of the other latch piece which serves to arrest the swinging movement of the gate. The latch piece which has been moved as just set forth, then drops to its normal position as is shown in Fig. 1, and the gate is securely held closed until the latches are swung back out of engagement with the striker element or bar. When it is desired to release the gate, the spindle 23 is turned until the cranked portion 24 thereof engages the operating lever, and swings the saine on its pivot 20. This operation lifts the arm 19 which through its connection with the vertically reciprocating elements 15 throws the latter upward and swings both latch-pieces rearwardly in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1. The gate is then free to be swung in either direction as may be desired. The slotted connection between the elements 15 and the arm 19 is provided in order that the latch pieces may swing upward when striking the striker element without moving the operating means for the latch, and also in order that whatever latch piece strikes the striker element, said latch piece may swing back on its pivot without moving the other latch piece from its normal position.

What I claim is 1. A gate latch comprising a supporting plate provided with spaced ears, a pivot pin extending through said ears, a pair of latch pieces supported on said pivot pin in thc spaces between the ears, said latclrpieces being formed with inclined faces in advance of their pivots, a vertically reciprocatory element pivotally connected to each of the latch pieces in rear of the pivots of the latter, said elements having longitudinal slots, a pivotally mounted operating member en* gaging said slots, and means for swinging the operating member on its pivot.

2. A gate latch comprising a supporting plate provided with spaced ears, a pivot pin extending through said ears, a pair of latch pieces supported on said pivot pin in the spaces between the ears, said latch-pieces being formed with inclined faces in advance of their pivots, a vertically reciprooatory element pivotally connected to each of the latch pieces in rear of the pivots of the latter, said elements having longitudinal slots, a pivotally mounted operating member engaging said slots and an abutment for limiting the movement of the operating member in one direction.

In testimony whereof I aHiX- my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. REED.

lVitnesses:

FREDERIC M. KREIDLER, I-IoBAR'r L. CoRY. 

